Discover the Roots
of Our Canoeing Heritage

OUR
RESOURCE PERSONNEL

Andy Rockwood is a Michigan-based birchbark canoe builder/instructor with 15 years experience in the craft. Andy demonstrates ancient canoe construction technology at national historic parks and forts in Minnesota and Michigan.

Birchbark
Canoe Revival

Dream of paddling a river just as aboriginal people did centuries ago. Paddle an authentic birchbark canoe, get acquainted with its builder, and learn how bark canoes are made. We'll look for canoe building materials like spruce root and birchbark. You'll discover how traditional tools, like the crooked knife, are used in canoe construction. Learn how bark seams are sewn with spruce roots and prepare the pitch used for water-proofing. Find out how planking, ribs and gunwales are fashioned out of logs and try your hand at building a paddle!

On our explorations into the boreal forest, we'll travel by birchbark and classic cedar/canvas canoes (and a few ultralight Souris River kevlar canoes!). You'll have a chance to take a mini-voyage through time with the most ancient craft to the most modern.

The birchbark canoe is a perfect case study of boreal forest ethnobotany. With the help of our expert ethnobotanist., we'll explore how Saskatchewan's Provincial Tree is used traditionally in other ways like crafting birch baskets and creating artistic birchbark bitings.

Base camp will be located at an island cabin on Northern Saskatchwan's beautiful Besnard Lake. This wilderness lake has the distinction of having the highest density of nesting bald eagles in North America. Also famous for its productive fishing, this lake sits on the southern edge of the Canadian Shield. In the south end are sandy beaches; in the north, precambrian rock outcrops. You'll be impressed with the landscape, the abundant birdlife (over 200 species) and the fishing! Best of all, you'll experience a unique acquaintance with the roots of our canoeing heritage.

Dates & Costs